Fill cap



Jan.1o,f1939. EL'JONES L 2,143,626

FILL CAP Origirial Filed June 24, 1955 29 24 a3 33 E@ 5g Patented Jan.10, 1939 PATENT OFFICE FILL CAP Edward Lyle Jones, Wilmette, Ill.

Application .l une 24',

1935, Serial No. 28,093

Renewed February 23,. 1938,

6 Claims.

My invention relates to safety closure `caps for the open ends of pipesand the like and while suitable for other and varied uses isparticularly applicable to the filling or dispensing conduits'of gas andoil tanks whether located above or beneath the ground level and whetherportable or stationary.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a guard cap toprevent the mischievous i or accidental introduction to the tank offoreign matter although when properly equipped with a sealing gasket itmay be utilized as a closure to prevent leakage and consequent waste orthe unauthorized drawing off of the fluid contents.

The caps of this type, usually called fill caps, have heretofore beenscrewed on or hinged to such pipes and in some instances have beenassociated with a removable padlock, but usually the attendant does nottrouble to apply the padlock or the key becomes lost which permitschildren at play or vandals to ruin the contents by dropping foreignmatter into the filling pipe or even to pour water therein.

The provision of such ll caps` with a separate independent padlock ofefficient make adds considerable expense and it is not unusual to findthe fill cap without lock if the locks or keys become mislaid.

Tank wagons for gasoline or fuel oil often have downwardly extendingdischarge pipes equipped with closure caps arranged to be screwed ontothe open end. These being separate, the driver seldom screws them onafter making a delivery, not appreciating the disadvantage of road dustaccumulating in the open end of the pipe or the serious aggregate lossfrom a continual leakage however small in volume.

By my invention I safeguard the lling pipes against the introduction offoreign matter, the idischarge pipes against leakage and dust and bothagainst theft of the contents; the lock is formed as an integral part ofthe cap, self-contained, and not susceptible to becoming misplaced orlost; the lock cannot be readily picked or forced; and the assembly isso arranged that it is substantially proof against being broken orforced off by a pry or other tool available to the trespasser. Moreover,the improved cap is readily applied to pipes already installed atfilling stations and upon delivery trucks.

In order that the invention may be readily understood the same ishereinafter set forth in detail in connection with illustrativeembodiments adapted to particular purposes although it is obvious thatvarious modifications thereof fallwithin the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section throughl the delivery end of adispensing pipe and applied cap, showing the lock inside elevation Fig.2 is a side elevation of Fig. l taken at right angles thereto;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the` line 3--3 of Fig. l, showing thelock in engaged position;

Fig. 4 is a similar section through the lock in' released position;

Fig. 5 is a central longitudinalsecticn through a lock-equipped hingecap;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section onthe linev 6--6 of' Fig. 5; and

Fig. '7 is a view similartoFig. 5 through a lockequipped swivel cap.

Having reference more in detail 'to` the illustrative views of thedrawing, the dispensing capof Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive is shown as-appliedtothe end of the delivery pipe I-I provided with an inwardly openingoutwardly closing valve control I2 adjacent but spaced from itsend. Anipple I3 is screwed into the threaded lower end of the pipe II with aninterposed gasket I4; This. nipple I3` is provided with a bifurcated`lug comprising spaced ears I 5, I5a between which is journaled` theupper end of' a lever lli-uponr a pin` I-'I having fixed relation to thelever I6 by being squared, as indicated at I8, or forcibly driventhereinto to prevent angular movement; This pin I'I is freely` rotatablewithin the ears I5, I5a and one end I'Ia is equipped with a spring I9Vengaged therewith at I9a and engaging at I9b with the ear IIf wherebythe lever I6 is spring-pressed into the position shown in full lines inFigs. 1 and 2 and may be swung into the position shown in dotted linesin Fig. 1 against the tension of the spring I9, whereV it will be heldby the spring-pressed detent- I6c engaging the projection I 5c.

This lever I6 has projecting therefrom an operating handle IBa andextends as an arm in` a curved direction downwardly at IIib and hasformed integral therewith or rigidly attached thereto a cup-shaped cap20 which receives, asV shown at 20a, the lower end of the nipple I3.This cap contains a floating gasket 2| of suitable sealing materialwhichis pressed-against the lower end of the nipple by a compressionv spring221 thus, under the combined influences of the springs I9and 22,eifectually sealing the nipple I 3` against the entrance of dust ortheiescape.` of liquid which may by chance pass the valve. I2.

Forming. a part. ofthe nipple, lever-v and cap.`

assembly is a lock of the plunger type disposed Within a lock barrel 23cast integrally with the ear I5 or permanently assembled therewith andprojecting to one side thereof. Within the barrel 23 is rigidly mountedas by welding a block 24 within which is guided a plunger bolt 25 of thelock, which bolt is arranged to reciprocate within the aperture 26 ofthe ear I5, as most clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and when projectedto extend into a recess 21 of the lever I6 when the parts are in theposition shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 with the recesses 26and 21 in register, whereby to lock the lever with its cap againstopening; whereas upon retraction of the plunger bolt 25 out of therecess 21 the parts are unlocked and the cap maybe swung from its closedposition on the nipple I3 to an open position, as indicated in dottedlines in Fig. l, to enable the dispensing of liquid through the nipplewhen the control valve I2 is opened.

Providing for the operation of the lock, the bolt 25 is surrounded by `acoil spring 28 within the space between the block 24 and the ear I5,abutting at one end against the block and at the other end against awasher 29 which, in turn, is engaged by a stud 30 carried by the bolt25. Thisspring normally presses the bolt into engagement with the recess21, as shown in Fig. 3, while the same spring, upon the retraction ofthe bolt, as shown in Fig. 4, is nested within itself by reason of itsformation as a truncated cone, thus conserving space.

The block 24 is formed upon its rear face as a cam at 3| upon which isadapted to ride a lug 32 projecting `rlaterally from the bolt 25 andthe" bolt is rotated by the -means hereinafter described to effect thelongitudinal reciprocation of the bolt to lock and unlock the cap.

The outer end o f the bolt 25 is provided with a head 33 bearing inrelief upon its face a nonsymmetrical configuration or design 34 whichis adapted to be received within the same design formed' in intaglio onthe end of a key 35. This relief design 34 is but slightly spaced fromthe interior of the lock barrel 23 and the end of the key is providedwith a marginal rim adapted to enter within said space for centering theproper key relative to the design and to prevent the engagement of thedesign conguration by a wrench, pliers or other tool for unauthorizedoperation of the lock. For the same purpose, the plunger head 334 andthe design carried thereby are well Within the open end of the barrel 23to render access thereto impossible other 'than by the authorize-d key.

It will be readily understood that when in lockedY position if the keybe inserted, as shown in Fig. 3, and rotated in a clockwise direction,the lug 32 will ride upwardly on the cam face 3l of the block 2,4, thusretracting the bolt 25 from the recess 21 against tension of the spring28; whereas when in the unlocked position, as shown in Fig. 4, theapplication of the key to the design 34 and turning of the same in acounterclockwise direction the lug 32 willbe released from its positionat rest upon the high point of the cam 3| and the bolt will be shot intothe recess 2l' by the reaction of the spring 28.

Having reference now to Figs. 5, 6 and '7 ofthe drawing, there are shownfill caps of usual types equipped with a lock. In Fig. 5 is shown anipple 36 provided on one side with ears 31 and on the opposite sidewith ears 38. Between the ears 31 upon a pin 39 is journaled a cap 46 bya projecting arm 4|"while at the opposite side an arm 42 of the cap 4Uis adapted to enter the space between the ears 38. The nipple 36 isadapted to be screwed upon or otherwise permanently secured to the pipe43.

Formed integrally with or permanently secured to one of the ears 38 andprojecting laterally therefrom is the lock barrel 23 containing the lockmechanism as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. l to 4inclusive, which need not be here repeated. In this instance, the lockbolt represented at 25a is beveled at its end, as indicated at 25h, forengagement by the beveled extremity 42a, of the cap arm 42, which arm isapertured at 42h, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, for receiving the bolt25a. It will be readily understood that the locking is here automaticupon the dropping of the cap arm 42 into the space between the ears 38,the r-etraction of the bolt 25a being accomplished by engagement of itsbeveled end 255 with the beveled end 42a of the arm 42. The unlocking isefected by the agency of the proper key in the manner hereinbeforedescribed with reference to Figs. l to 4 inclusive.

The cap arm 4I may be provided with a lug 4Ia and the ears 31 with a lug31a in order to prevent the cap from being swung beyond a dead center,whereby to insure that when the filling hose is removed from theentrance to the pipe 43 the cap will drop automatically to a closedlocked position, thus preventing the same being inadvertently left open.

In Fig. 7 is shown the application of the present invention to a fillcap of the swivel type applied to the pipe 44. A nipple 45 ispermanently secured to the pipe and is provided on opposite sides withthe ears 46 and 41. The cap in this case is in the form of a nut 48having a wrench-engaging portion 49 and adapted to be screwed into theopen end of the pipe 44. This cap has spaced collars 56 and 5I in theannular space between which is received a circular connection 52connecting the arms 53 and 54. The arm 54 of the cap is formed similarlyto the arm 42 of Figs. 5 and 6 for locking engagement by the lock bolt.In this instance the annular space between the collars 5D and 5I and theplay in the lock mechanism is suicient to permit of the disengagement ofthe cap 48 from the threads of the pipe 44 by a wrench applied to theportion 49 but the disengaged cap cannot be removed from the open end ofthe pipe until the lock is operated to release the arm 54 whereupon thecap can be swung upwardly upon its hinge pivot 55. Obviously thewrench-engaging portion 49 may be omitted and the lower face of the capmay rest loosely upon the pipe end or may be provided with a skirttaking within or without the pipe end, as is illustrated in Fig. 5.

Obviously also the lugs 31a and 4Ia of Fig. 5 may be omitted or similarlugs may be applied to the ears 46 and the arm 53 of Fig. 7.

I claim:

1. In a closure for illing and dispensing pipes the combination With aninwardly opening outwardly closing valve disposed within the pipeadjacent its mouth, of a nipple connected to the pipe end outwardly ofthe Valve and having a laterally projecting lug, a curved arm pivoted tothe lug, a cup-shaped cap xedly secured to the free end of the arm toswing to and from closing relation to the nipple, a rockingly supportedgasket within the cap arranged to bear against the end of the nipple inthe closed position of the cap, means pressing the arm and cap towardsits closed position upon the nipple, and means yield- 75y ingly holdingthe arm and cap in open position free of the nipple end.

2. In a closure for filling and dispensing pipes, the combination withan inwardly opening outwardly closing valve disposed within the pipeadjacent its mouth, of a nipple screw connected to the pipe endoutwardly beyond the valve and having an exterior laterally projectinglug, a curved arm pivoted to the lug, a cup-shaped cap lxedly secured tothe free end of the arm to swing in an arc to and from envelopingrelation to the nipple end, a floating spring-supported gasket withinthe cap arranged to bear against the end of the nipple in the closedposition of the cap, a spring pressing the arm and cap to wards itsclosed position about the nipple, and a spring detent yieldinglyengaging the lug to hold the arm and cap when swung to open positionfree of the nipple end.

3. In a closure for filling and dispensing pipes, the combination withan inwardly opening outwardly closing valve disposed within the pipeadjacent its mouth, of a nipple connected to the pipe end outwardly ofthe valve and having a laterally projecting lug, a curved arm pivoted tothe lug, a cup-shaped cap xedly secured to the free end of the arm toswing to and from closing relation to the nipple, a rockingly supportedgasket within the cap arranged to bear against the end of the nipple inthe closed position of the cap, spring means pressing the arm and captowards its closed position upon the nipple, and means releasablyengaging the lug to hold the arm and cap in open position free of thenipple end in opposition to the spring closing means.

4. In a closure for lling and dispensing pipes, a bifurcated luglaterally projecting from the pipe end, a curved arm pivoted between thebifurcations of the` lug, aV cup-shaped cap secured to the free end ofthe arm to swing to and from enveloping relation to the open pipe end.,a oating gasket within the cap arranged to bear against the end of thepipe in the closed posi tion of the cap, the pivot connection betweenthe arm and the lug comprising a transxing pin fixed against rotation inthe arm and freely rotatable within the lug bifurcations as bearings, aspring coiled about one end of the pin with one end secured to the pinand the other end to the lug whereby the arm and cap are pressed towardsthe closed position, a spring-pressed detent upon the arm adjacent thelug, said detent arranged when the arm is swung to snap behind a portionof the lug whereby to hold the arm and cap in open position against itstendency to close under spring pressure.

5. In a closure for dispensing pipes, the cornbination with a primaryvalve therein spaced from the open end of the pipe, of an arm pivoted iniixed relation to said pipe, a cup-shaped cap carried by the free end ofthe arm to swing about the pivot as a center to and from envelopingrelation to the pipe end, a rockingly supported gasket within the caparranged to bear against the end of the pipe, means acting upon the armto pressY the cap and gasket against the pipe end, and means foryieldingly holding the arm and cap with the gasket in open position freeof the pipe end.

6. In a closure for dispensing pipes, the cornbination with an inwardlyopening outwardly closing primary valve therein spaced from the open endof the pipe, of a` bent arm pivoted in lateral iixed relation to saidpipe, a cup-shaped cap carried by the free end of the arm to swing aboutthe pivot as a center to and from closing relation to the pipe end, agasket within the cap arranged to bear yieldingly against the end of thepipe, means acting upon the arm to hold the cap and gasket in closedrelationship to the pipe end, and means for holding the arm and cap withthe gasket in open position free of the pipe end.

EDWARD LYLE JONES.

